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Medical School Quotes

Wry observations on the long road through medical training and the mindset shift it produces.

These medical school quotes include an old joke about graduation marking true adulthood and a trainee describing a marked change in outlook partway through the program.

Students undergo a conversion in the third year of medical school - not pre-clinical to clinical, but pre-cynical to cynical.

Quotes by Abraham Verghese

Jews were asked when life begins. For them it's when they finally graduate medical school.

Quotes by Evan Sayet

Frequently Asked Questions

What themes appear in these medical school quotes?
One recalls an old joke about adulthood beginning at graduation, and the other describes a shift in outlook during training.
What kind of change does the second quote describe?
It describes trainees becoming noticeably more guarded and less idealistic partway through their clinical years.
Is the graduation joke meant literally?
No, it is a wry aside using an old line about when independence or adulthood truly starts.
Do the quotes suggest medical training is easy?
Quite the opposite; both hint at how demanding and transformative the years of study can be.
Who would relate most to these observations?
Current and former medical students are likely to recognize the shift in attitude described here.

Both remarks point to how demanding years of study can reshape a young doctor far beyond textbook knowledge.